Dry weekend for Harare

Nyemudzai Kakore Herald CorrespondentHarare residents must brace for a dry weekend as the city shuts down its main water treatment plant at Morton Jaffray today to allow the installation of valves at the trunk mains to the central business district and Lochnivar and repair leaks at the treatment plant and mains.

The city’s acting corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme said the city was also carrying out plant maintenance and repairing leakages on the transmission mains.

“The City of Harare wishes to advise all residents of Greater Harare that there will be a complete shutdown of Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant from Friday 29 January at 1400hrs to Monday February 1, 2016 at 0900hrs. This means that there will be no water supply in the whole of Harare, Norton, Ruwa, Epworth and Chitungwiza,” said Mr Chideme.

“The city will also be carrying out other routine maintenance works. This is part of the on-going Harare Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Rehabilitation Programme meant to improve reliability of water supply. Council therefore appeals to residents to use the available water sparingly,”.

In 2013, council secured a $144 million loan from the Chinese Export Import Bank and has used part of the money to acquire equipment for the refurbishment of the 60-year-old plant.

The plant produces 400 mega-litres of water per day, but it has the potential to produce 640 mega-litres.